Types of Change Agents
Thereareanumberofdifferenttypesofchangeagents.Dependingon
thedetailsofyourhigherpurpose,youmaybecalledtoworkwith
individuals,groups,ororganizations.Youmaydeliverservices,
influencepolicy,orusealeadershipplatformtoeffectchange.
Thefollowinglistdescribesthedifferentcategoriesofchangeagents
andhoweachcreatestransformation.Notethatmostchangeagentsact
asmorethanoneofthese,butusuallyhaveoneortwothatareprimary:
Practitioner–Practitionersdeliverservicestoindividuals,creating
changeinonepersonatatime.Theymayhavejobtitleslike
therapist,coachorcounselor.ManyPractitionersaretrainedin
healingprofessions,likechiropractic,massageoracupuncture.
Theytypicallyemployprocessesthatrequireweeksormonthsto
createdeeptransformationinanindividual.
Consultant–AConsultantworkswithteamsorentireorganizations,
affectingboththecollectiveandtheindividualsinit.Ateamor
organizationthathasbeentransformedbyaskilledConsultant
willcontinuetocreatechangeinitsmembersandothersit
touches,evenwhenheorshehasmovedon.
Teacher/Trainer–TeachersandTrainersdesignandleadprograms
forgroups.Theprogramstheydelivertransformtheindividuals
whoattend.Theprogramscanbeworkshops,trainings,or
teleseminars;theymaylasthours,days,weeksorevenyears.
Activist–Activistsrallysupportandemployinfluencetochangepolicy
andshiftpublicperception.Theymayoperatevisiblyorbehind
thescenes.SkilledActivistsbringpeopleandorganizationsonall
sidesofanissuetogethertocreateandimplementpowerful,win‐
winsolutionsthatlast.
Copyright©2010‐2013TimothyA.Kelley.Allrightsreserved.“TruePurpose”isatrademarkofthe
TruePurposeInstitute.RevisedNovember12,2013.
Leader–Byvirtueoftheirpositioninanorganization,associationor
industry,Leadershavetheplatformandpowertheyneedto
createchange.Usually,theyfirsttransformthemselves,next,
theirorganization,andthenusetheorganizationasaninstrument
tocreatechangeonabroaderscale.Largeandpowerful
organizationscanbechallengingtotransform,andtheycreate
highlypotentplatformsforglobaltransformationwhentheydo.
Messenger–Throughbooks,media,publicspeaking,seminarsand
blogging,Messengersdeliveratransformationalmessagetothose
whoaremeanttoreceiveit.Theirimpactisusuallyverybroad
andtemporary,challengingbeliefsandbehaviorsandcalling
manypeopletochange.Lastingimpactoccursforthose
individualswhotakethenextstepandengageinlongerterm
processes,suchascoachingorworkshops.Thesedeeper
processesmaybedeliveredeitherbytheMessengerorsome
otherchangeagent.
SocialEntrepreneur–SocialEntrepreneurscreatebusinessesand
organizationsthatchangetheworld.Ratherthanseekingto
transformexistingorganizations,theysetouttocreatenewones
thatpromotethechangetheyaretryingtocreate.The
organizationmaymodelanewwayofdoingbusiness,itmay
createchangethroughitsactivities,oritmaydonatetimeand
moneytowardsthecreatingofanewworld.Termsandconcepts
likecorporatesocialresponsibility,triplebottomline,andB‐
corporationsareallexpressionsofthismovement.Usingtheir
organizationsasbothmodelsofandplatformsforchange,social
entrepreneursareabletoinfluencemanyfacetsoflifeandsociety.
Innovator–Innovatorscreatenewproducts,servicesandprocesses
thatalterthewaypeoplelive,workandcommunicate.Both
Copyright©2010‐2013TimothyA.Kelley.Allrightsreserved.“TruePurpose”isatrademarkofthe
TruePurposeInstitute.RevisedNovember12,2013.
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tangibletechnologicalinnovations(e.g.theplane,thetelephone
andfire)andintangibleprocessinnovations(e.g.voting,
meditationandthescientificmethod)canhaveaprofoundand
lastingeffectonhowweliveandseetheworld.Innovatorscreate
thesenew,sometimesdisruptivetechnologiesandprocesses.
Theyoftenneedthehelpofotherchangeagentsinordertocause
theirinnovationstobeadoptedonawidescale.
Philanthropist–Philanthropistsusewealthtosupporttheactivities
ofotherchangeagents.Bychannelingfundstoeffortsthatneed
them,Philanthropistsareabletoaccelerategreatlythepaceof
change.Theirresourcesoftengivetheminfluenceoverthe
strategiesthatotherchangeagentsandorganizationsemploy.
BecausemanyPhilanthropistsearnedtheirwealththrough
successinbusiness,theirguidanceaboutstrategycanbe
extremelyvaluable.
Becomingapowerfulandeffectivechangeagentusuallyrequires
internaltransformationandexternalskilltraining.Someskillsand
growthareneededbyalltypesofchangeagents;somearespecificto
certaintypes.Weinviteyoutojoinagrowingglobalcommunityof
changeagentswhoarewalkingthispath!Whenyoujoin,youwill
receivethedocument“InternalRequirementsforChangeAgents”and
beinvitedtofreemonthlycalls.Itisourintenttohelpyoulearnwhatit
takestobesuccessfulmakingalivingasapowerfulagentofchange.
Questions for Reflection
Choosingtherightchangeagenttypeisanimportantdecision;itaffects
yourstrategyandmethodsforcreatingchange.
 Whichofthesehaveyoutraditionallyusedtocreatechange?
 Whichonefrightensyouthemost?
 Whichonesaremostpurposefulforyou?
 Whatskills,resourcesandtrainingdoyouneedtosucceedasa
changeagent?
Copyright©2010‐2013TimothyA.Kelley.Allrightsreserved.“TruePurpose”isatrademarkofthe
TruePurposeInstitute.RevisedNovember12,2013.
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